


Winning

by PalavaRakkaus



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Bets, I have never touched the source material, M/M, Relationship Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:54:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27697238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PalavaRakkaus/pseuds/PalavaRakkaus
Summary: Anders and Fenris agree it is time to let everyone know they are together. It turns out to be less surprising but more profitable than they could have ever thought.
Relationships: Anders/Fenris (Dragon Age)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Winning

"Of course," Fenris had said when Anders had brought it up.

Anders spent several moments staring at him, mouth open. They were lying in Fenris's bed, Anders' head resting on Fenris's chest and Fenris's hand combing through his hair. Fenris was going on yet another quest with Hawke and the others, and they were enjoying the final moments together before the elf left.

"Really?" Anders asked once he finally remembered how to speak. "Truly?"

Fenris nodded, as if it was nothing. "I see no issue with that." He hesitated a moment, shifting, and the bed creaked. The fingers in Anders' hair combed through the strands once before settling on the back of his head again. "I am … tired of hiding. I'm not ashamed of being with you, and it would be easier if they knew."

Anders' heart fluttered. He wrapped an arm around Fenris's waist and gave him a little squeeze. "I love you so much."

Smiling gently, Fenris pulled him close and kissed him.

And that was why Anders was there, outside the city, waiting for his elf to return. They'd agreed; there was no point in leaving it for later anymore.

He'd planned to be somewhat dignified about it, walk to Fenris and tug the elf into his arms in front of the others, perhaps give him a chaste little kiss on the cheek, and that would be it. Easy, simple and unmistakable.

That was not how it happened.

Hawke appeared to the field of his vision first, then Varric and Isabela, and finally Fenris, a few steps behind the others. Anders shifted on his feet, his heartbeat picking up in his chest. In the bright sunlight the elf was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen, his hair a shining white halo around his head, the brown of his skin so warm and tempting.

Anders hadn't known the force of his love could still surprise him.

Hawke waved at him as they approached, and Anders managed a distracted wave back. His eyes stayed locked on Fenris, and he tried to stay patient. Fenris looked back at him, a faint smile on his lips, and Anders found he couldn't hold himself back anymore.

He leaped into run, past Hawke and the others, and threw himself into Fenris's arms. The elf let out a surprised noise and staggered backwards at the force of the impact, but his arms came to wrap around Anders' waist, the hold tight and comforting, and Anders couldn't help but to laugh out loud as he felt the warm, solid body pressed to his own. He just resisted the urge to kiss Fenris silly, and instead buried his nose in the elf's neck and breathed in his familiar scent.

"This wasn't what I was expecting," Fenris said, but he sounded fond. "You are not particularly subtle."

Anders shrugged, as much as he could, clinging to Fenris as he was. "Fuck subtlety. I love you."

Fenris sighed softly, and on a voice meant only for Anders' ears, said, "I love you too."

Anders squeezed him close for a moment more before pulling back a fraction, and Fenris touched the tips of their noses together. Smiling, Anders pressed a tiny kiss on the corner of Fenris's mouth before he caught Fenris's gauntlet-clad hand on his own; after hugging him, Anders could just as well hold his hand on front of the others too. Fenris didn't seem to mind, anyway.

Everyone's eyes were on them as they turned to walk towards the city again. Varric was gaping at them, but Isabela winked at Anders when their eyes met, and Hawke grinned, ridiculously wide. She even gave them a thumbs up when they passed her, and Anders barely resisted the urge to grin himself. He was happier than he'd ever been, and it was all because of Fenris.

Side by side though not hand in hand anymore, they headed towards Fenris's mansion, but they hadn't gotten far before Varric caught up with them.

"So," Varric said as he settled to walk along with them. "Together then."

Anders glanced at Fenris, who was giving Varric a narrow-eyed look. The dwarf didn't sound quite as surprised as he should have, considering Anders had thought he and Fenris had kept up their charade of mutual dislike rather well.

"Yes," Fenris answered shortly.

Varric nodded. "I would imagine that's been the case for a while?"

Fenris frowned at him. "How is that any of your business?"

"It isn't, of course," Varric said immediately. "Doesn't mean I'm not curious—the others too, no doubt. We have been wondering when this would happen and, well, we'd all like to know how long you've been going on behind our backs."

Apparently their charade of hate had not been as good as they'd thought, after all. Anders gave Varric a suspicious look. He noted Fenris was doing the same.

"That really is none of your business," Fenris stated and turned to climb the stairs to Hightown.

"Of course, of course," Varric agreed. He sounded a little breathless, trying to keep up with Fenris's long stride and speaking at the same time. "Still, you must have been together at least a few months, surely?"

"Surely," Anders said and gave Varric another wary look.

Varric nodded again. "I suppose you won't be any more specific about that?"

"Why is that so important?" Fenris asked.

"Well," Varric said. He may have looked a little uncomfortable. "It is possible that we may have had a bit of a betting pool, and—"

"A _betting pool_ ," Fenris repeated, anger sharp as knives in his voice.

Anders reached out to brush the tips of his fingers across Fenris's bare palm. The elf let out a little breath and his face relaxed, and Anders offered him a gentle smile.

"Well, yes," Varric said. "And the thing is, there's quite a bit of coin in it…"

He attempted a smile, but it didn't survive the cold glare Fenris was throwing in his direction.

"It's a private matter, I understand," he continued, his tone placating, "but we would like to know who won."

"You do not need to," Fenris snapped.

Anders touched his palm again. _Calm, love, calm_.

"But if we have to go by the day we found out, Hawke is going to win!" Varric looked at them both. He seemed genuinely distressed. "You don't want _Hawke_ to win, do you?"

Anders glanced at Fenris. Fenris took a deep breath, and after Anders stroked his palm for the third time, shrugged.

"I suppose we don't," Anders agreed.

Varric looked delighted about that. "So?" he prompted

"You remember when Hawke had that First Day get-together a while back?" Anders asked.

Varric's jaw dropped and he stopped climbing the stairs. "You're not telling me you've been together for almost _two years_!"

"Are we not?" Anders asked, stopping a few steps above the dwarf along with Fenris. The conversation had become much more enjoyable all of a sudden.

"I don't believe you," Varric decided.

Anders shrugged. "That's your problem. But if you really think about it, you'll realise none of you saw either of us after midnight. We were having pretty damn good time elsewhere."

"Mage," Fenris said, warning in his voice.

"I wasn't sharing any details," Anders defended himself.

Varric wasn't paying attention to that. "How have you been hiding this for _two blighted years_?" He sounded almost offended. "We hadn't even started the betting pool then! Who's going to get the coin now?"

"I would think that obvious," Fenris said.

Anders glanced at him. The delightfully wicked little hint of a smile on the elf's lips suggested Anders was going to like this.

"I suppose so," Varric, who had not seen the look on Fenris's face, said. "Merrill had the earliest guess, so—"

"Oh no," Fenris interrupted. "I do not think so. That would not be fair at all."

It was Varric's turn to throw a suspicious look at the elf's direction. "What do you suggest then?"

"The coin," Fenris said, in a tone that brooked no argument, "comes to us."

Varric's face fell. "That's—"

"Entirely fair," Fenris finished for him. "None of you got it right; it would be unfair to give it to someone who has not earnt it."

Varric didn't look exactly happy about that, but, very wisely, he nodded. Fenris gave him a smile that was a fraction too sharp.

"Feel free to drop the coin to my mansion or to Anders' clinic whenever you have the time."

"Sure," Varric said, annoyance clear in his voice.

Anders grinned at him. "We appreciate that."

"I'm sure you do," Varric muttered. He waved a hand in goodbye and headed back down, probably to let the others to know they had no chance to see their coin ever again.

"Well," Anders said once the dwarf was out of hearing distance, "that may have actually been the first time I've won a bet, and I didn't even know it was going on."

"Such an occasion calls for a celebration, don't you think?" Fenris said.

Anders liked the sound of that. "You've got something on your mind."

Fenris nodded, his mouth tilted into a faint, promising smile.

"Something I'll like," Anders continued.

Fenris nodded again. "You mentioned our first night together," he said. "We could, how did you put it, 'have pretty damn good time' tonight too."

Anders grinned. Maker, how he loved this elf. "I like the way you think."

"Of course you do." Fenris's hand brushed Anders' back right above his belt. "Shall we then?" He nodded towards Hightown and his mansion.

"Absolutely," Anders said.

As he turned to walk up the stairs again, he decided he could get used to winning.

And if the old bed couldn't handle their celebration, he had a feeling they could afford to buy a new one now.


End file.
